1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking and, more particularly, to a control system for regulating the activation state of various heating elements, as well as a timer and downdraft fan, associated with a cooktop of a cooking appliance.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Both gas and electric cooking appliances are widely available in today""s marketplace. The cooktops associated with electric cooking arrangements employ either coiled, electric resistance burner elements which project slightly above the upper surface of the associated cooktop, or smooth cooktops. Smooth cooktops are formed of glass or ceramic-based, i.e., ceramic and glass-ceramic, materials.
Due to material characteristic limitations, care must be taken when forming a ceramic-based cooktop as the material can be subject to cracking and the like when stressed. This potential problem is of particular concern given that the ceramic-based cooktop must be free to flex during use. For at least these reasons, a ceramic-based cooktop will almost invariably be made as a plate extending in a single plane and without any openings. However, it has been proposed, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,079, to create a bend at a rear section of a cooktop. Although controls for various heating elements are arranged adjacent to the bent zone of the cooktop, the controls are actually carried by a frame upon which the cooktop is supported. The upper surface of a ceramic-based cooktop is generally provided with a grid pattern to diminish the inherent transparent nature of the material. In the ""079 patented arrangement, small transparent regions are maintained to provide visual clarity of illuminated displays mounted below the cooktop.
In order to enhance the use and versatility of ceramic-based and other types of cooktops, it would be desirable to enable heating element control devices to be mounted in a convenient, readily available and effective manner to the cooktop. In addition, there exists a need for an efficient operator control system which is unobtrusive to the use of the cooktop, particularly when the controls are located along a front portion of the cooktop. Furthermore, a need exists for a versatile control system which extends beyond regulating heating elements to controlling other devices associated with the overall cooking appliance.
The present invention is directed to a cooking appliance including a cooktop, adapted to be mounted on a countertop or upon an appliance cabinet, which defines varies spaced heating zones, and a control arrangement for regulating the operation of heating elements arranged in the heating zones. The cooktop also preferably incorporates a downdraft venting system including a grill provided in a generally, laterally centered portion of the cooktop, with suitable controls for the downdraft venting system. Additional controls for a timer unit are also preferably provided. In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, electronic control components are utilized and openings are formed in the cooktop to accommodate mounting of the electronic control components. Most preferably, the electronic control components are generally flush with an exposed surface of the cooktop to avoid the components being any type of obstruction during use of the cooktop.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent below from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.